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Using the serial port on MagicQ
Introduction
The MagicQ console and MagicQ PC software supports the use of a serial port for controllingexternal devices, such as CD or DVD players, video or automation computers.
The serial port can also be used to remote control the MagicQ console or MagicQ PC software via
a simple set of text commands.
A standard male 9 pin D type connector is provided on MagicQ consoles. On MagicQ PC the
availability of a serial port will depend on the PC. Many modern laptops do not have a serial port
however, USB to serial converters are readily available.
MagicQ supports standard baud rates, stop bits and parity options for serial communication.
Note that the use of the serial port on MagicQ PC is only enabled when it is connected to aMagicQ PC Wing.
Enabling the serial port
Enable the serial port in the View Settings view of the Setup Window. Page down to the PortSettings. Select the COM port that you wish to use (on the console always select COM1). Set the
baud rate, polarity, data bits and stop bits.
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Writing to the serial port
Commands are transmitted from the serial port by placing the command in the Macro field of theCue Stack window.
The format of serial commands is X followed by the data. To send serial data, the X commandmust be the only macro command in the macro field. The X command is followed by ASCII data
contained within or or by decimal values separated by commas. For example to send Hello
World followed by a carriage return:
XHello World,10,13
To send the binary data stream 00 01 02 03 04
X0,1,2,3,4
To send text only:
Xabcedf
To send several lines of text:
XHello,10,13,World,10,13
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Reading from the serial port
By default data received on the serial port is ignored. This can be changed to make MagicQ acceptremote commands received on the serial port. In the View Settings view of the Setup Window, set
the serial input type to ChamSys Serial Remote.
ChamSys Serial Remote protocol consists of simple commands consisting of a list parameter
values separated by commas , and ending in a character A to Z (or a to z). Commands can
contain spaces, tabs, and carriage returns; they are all ignored.
The commands are:
A Activate playback R Release playback
T Test playback (activate with level 100%) U Un-test playback (release with level 0%)
G Go on playback
S Stop (go back) on playback , L Set playback fader level
, , J Jump to Cue Id on playback
P Change page
, I Set intensity channel to level
H Remote programming command
The following parameter values are supported
is a number between 1 and 10
is an integer between 0 and 100. is an integer between 0 and 100
is an integer between 1 and 6144
is an integer between 1 and 65536
is an integer between 0 and 99
So for example, to set dimmer channel 4 to 50% you would use:
4,50I
To jump to Cue id 2.5 on playback 8 you would use:
8,2,5J
Commands can be sent back to back e.g.
1A2A1S2G3,4I
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Remote programming commands
Remote programming commands enable simple programming actions to be carried out from aremote terminal. Remote programming commands consist of the program command number
followed by parameters and completed with an H.
The commands are:
, , [] H Select one or more heads
, , [] H Deselect one or more heads
H Deselect all heads
, H Select group
, , [] H Set intensity of selected heads , , , [] H Set attribute value of selected heads
, , , [] H Increase attribute of selected heads
, , , [] H Decrease attribute of selected heads H Clear programmer
, H Include position palette , H Include colour palette
, H Include beam palette
, H Include cue
H Update
, H Record position palette
, H Record colour palette
, H Record beam palette
, H Record cue
H Next head H Previous head
H All heads
H Locate
H Lamp on
H Lamp off
H Reset
[] indicates an optional parameter
is an integer between 0 and 100 is an integer between 1 and 1024
is an integer between 1 and 5000
is a flag. 0 for change in 8 bit resolution, 1 for change in 16 bit resolution
is an integer time in seconds
is an integer between 1 and 200
and are integers between 1 and 6145
Attribute numbers
Intensity attributes (I1)
- -
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- -
- -
- Intensity (0)
Position attributes (P1)
Pos1 (46) Pos5 (50)
Pos2 (47) Pos6 (51)
Pos3 (48) Pan (4)
Pos4 (49) Tilt (5)
Colour attributes (C1)
Cyan (16) Col4 (27)
Magenta (17) Col3 (26)Yellow(18) Col2 (7)
Col mix (19) Col1 (6)
Beam attributes page 1 (B1)
Shutter (2) Rotate2 (11)
Iris (3) Rotate1 (10)
Focus (12) Gobo2 (9)FX1 (14) Gobo1 (8)
Beam attributes page 2 (B2)
Frost1 (32) Rotate4 (31)Frost2 (33) Rotate3 (30)
Zoom (13) Gobo4 (29)
FX2 (15) Gobo3 (28)
Beam attributes page 3 (B3)
Macro1 (22) FX8 (39)Macro2 (23) FX7 (38)
FX3 (34) FX6 (37)
FX4 (35) FX5 (36)
Beam attributes page 4 (B4)
Cont1 (20) Cont8 (45)
Cont2 (21) Cont7 (44)
Cont3 (40) Cont6 (43)
Cont4 (41) Cont5 (42)
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Any comments on how these instructions could be improved will be gratefully received at